EFFECTS OF AN INTERDISCIPLINARY PROJECT TO PROMOTE HEALTHY BEHAVIORS IN PRIMARY EDUCATION STUDENTS OF A RURAL SCHOOL

Abstract

Although the benefits associated with a healthy lifestyle are known, a large percentage of young people do not comply with the established recommendations for the different healthy behaviors, especially during Covid-19. Thus, the aim of this study was to design, implement, and evaluate the effects of a multicomponent and multilevel school-based program on multiple health-related behaviors in Primary Education students. For this, 12 students (M=10.33±1.07), from a multilevel Primary Education classroom of a rural school in Teruel, participated. This five-week program aimed to raise awareness about the importance of adopting a healthy lifestyle. The results showed an increase in daily physical activity and perceived health status after participating in the intervention program. Likewise, recreational screen time also showed a significant decrease. However, the students did not report significant differences in sleep duration, adherence to the Mediterranean diet, and quality of life. Thus, it seems convenient to develop multicomponent, multibehavioral, and multilevel school programs, involving different subjects and areas of action, as well as the entire educational community, to improve these healthy behaviors in young people from rural schools.